My life in books: How it all started.

Yesterday I read a fantastic book. It was.. amazing. I'll talk about that one another day, as it deserves some special attention. It had many fantastic passages, and so many lovely tid-bits to quote, but one that made me think was this tiny bit about people never forgetting That First Book.

You know - the one that started it all. That got you thinking that this reading lark is fun. It mentioned that you'll never forget that book, and it got me thinking about my very own First Book, and how I could mark out my life, in books. So this will be the first of many posts about books, and what they mean to me.

I've been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. I remember rushing home to read Donald Duck comics under a shady tree, or sneaking into my brother's room to grab his copy of STOP, and Archie comics, and reading encyclopedias by torch light (I know. Geek.).. But my First Book was this little gem:

Jacqueline Wilson's The Suitcase Kid.

It was the start of winter, the year was 1994, and I was 8 years old, estranged in this wonderful new place, with lots of pale kids running around. My perma-Asian-tan was a novelty, and so was my accent. It was Reading Time, and since I didn't have a book with me, I was given a trip to the library and this was the first of many books I would borrow from the school.

I don't remember who recommended it to me.. Was it Amy or Hazel (my first friends at St. Sid's!) or was it the lady helping out at the library? Either way, magic happened the moment I sat down in my little plastic chair in front of Mrs. Bushin's table. I picked it up and was immediately thrown into Andy's world. A child of divorce, Andrea (ANDY!) bounced from one home to another, dealing with step-siblings and strange family dynamics. The book is divided quaintly into 26 chapters, each starting with a letter from the alphabet.. A is for.. B is for.. etc. And I couldn't get enough.

My own parents were happily married, so I couldn't possible understand what this girl was going through.. But as long as I had that book in my hand, I felt like I knew exactly what she was feeling, and I was her friend.

The book had given the key to this whole other world, and upon finishing the book, I couldn't wait to get another chance to visit the library. If I liked reading before, I was positively in love with it after this book. It's not 'the best children's book EVER WRITTEN!!one!11!one!!', but it was one that opened my eyes to this whole other world where literally anything could happen.

I don't think I realized the significance this book would hold in my life, but looking back now.. The stuff I read before were probably not age/reading-ability-appropriate, and so I couldn't digest it as well as I could Ms. Wilson's book. And revisiting my old haunts now, I still love them very much, but The Suitcase Kid has a Very Special place in my heart as my First Book.

After Ms. Wilson, there was Mr. Dahl, Mr. Lewis, and Ms. Smith to occupy my time, and after that there was a whole brigade of authors, but The Suitcase Kid had been my key to the world of words. And I'll be forever grateful.

And I have to ask - what was yours???

.. to be continued .. :)

Oh 27th of Feb, you were fantastic this year..!

Damn you, facebook!

I moved around a lot as a kid, different cities, different countries (okay, to be fair there has only ever been two countries), different friends. And I loved every minute of it. I'm always terrified starting somewhere new, I'd get a bout of this horrible, crippling, stomach wrenching feeling of complete and utter helplessness. But there's always, always, always, someone there. Always. That one girl or boy who'd give a confident grin, someone who'd take my hands and share a book with me, or ask me if I wanted a snack. Sometimes it was just a shared smile over someone else's stupidity. And that single moment in time would cement my love of this strange, new place.

More often than not, I'd end up making other new friends, and that initial contact is soon forgotten. And these friends I made - I always thought I'd keep them for life.

On the one hand, I love how facebook got me reconnected with them, letting me glimpse into their life again. But that's just it - it's just a glimpse. It's not a real connection, and sometimes it's just not enough. I miss the people I knew, but I know those people on facebook... the ones posing with their kids, or in togas, or travelling the world.. I don't know them. And when the mood hits, I feel like shit.

It also feels extra awful when it's a fairly recent connection.

I saw a picture today. A friend who smiled. And I wondered how they were doing.

Rivermaya and Bryce from Lifehouse

Arthur's Day, 4th Dec 2010,
Jakarta, Indonesia


Rivermaya.

Bryce Soderberg, Lifehouse.
More muted version posted here.

Images, mine. Crossposted at my deviantArt

.warmth.

She wanders the streets alone,
Little head bobbing up and down,
Bike pausing now and then,
The warmth of the sun on her back,
The stickiness of ice cream coating her fingers,
Long gone, long consumed,
Nothing could be better,
Nothing could be more perfect,
My little summer girl.

Image and words, mine. Crossposted at my deviantArt

.my silly kite.

Oh what's the use of holding on..!?
For nowt but burns I have earned,
Though I tried with all my might,
My kite has flown quite as sight..!

Pastels and markers, March 2009
Crossposted at my deviantArt

Time floated away

(Bryce Soderberg of Lifehouse, Arthur's Day, Jakarta, Indonesia. 4th Dec 2010. A version with colours more vivid is cross posted on my deviantarts page. Variations of the pic will be published in the January issue of Nylon Guys Indonesia)

His voice is raspy as he sings along to the radio, and hums fill the gaps where he doesn't quite remember the words. It is all she hears, driving 13o km/h down the highway. He turns to her and smiles, all soft and sweet and girly. She wants to tease him, but instead she grins. And for a moment he is blinded.

Tomorrow brings threats not yet delivered. But they have no prior knowledge, and for this one moment in time, their lives are perfect.

And they are in love.